Winnie L.
Yelp
This review is really about a bottle of water and a very nice lady.
The Lodge opened about six months ago and sure it was pricey but so is the entire city of San Francisco. I've been to SF more times than I've flown "home" back when home wasn't LA. So when the opportunity came to stay and explore the Presdio with the added bonus of the newly opened Lodge, I booked a Queen room for 2 nights.
Things to know:
-There are 42 rooms - a handful of which has GREAT direct views of the Golden Gate Bridge / the bay
-There is a 14% National Park Utility and Transportation fee + Environmental Programming and Sustainability Fee. I think most hotel room charge a similar percentage for city/occupancy tax.
-72 hour cancellation policy
-Group reservations require 2-night minimum on weekend reservations with a 30-day cancellation policy to avoid a 1-night non-refundable deposit
-European style continental breakfast service (i.e. there is no kitchen on the grounds)
-Complimentary evening wine and cheese reception
-Curb out front is for loading and unloading
-$9/day for guest parking at a lot nearby, to be directed by staff
-$40 Pet fee
-Free WiFi
-Managed by Waterford Hotel and Inn
More things to know:
-Use the free PresidiGO shuttle to get around and to/from the Financial District
-The Walt Disney museum is next door if you need a quick bite during business hours without use of a delivery service. Otherwise, there are one or two restaurants that I seemed to be walkable to the other end of the stretch, about a 0.3-0.5 mile walk
-The wine and cheese reception can get you full if you stay long enough. There are some substantial meat and cheese choices. The wine is not bad. The chocolate chip cookies, though probably warmed by microwave, was extra delicious after a long day of travel
-The continental breakfast is also pretty good. It can get you full till lunch time or even replace lunch if you time it right. I noticed that coffee was on a per-request basis and served in disposable cups. I skipped it.
-There is a porch and rocking chairs out front overlooking at the main lawn
-There is a fire pit and patio out back with views of the Golden Gate Bridge so even if your room view is of the building or out front, you can still get some nice views here
-The stairs are centrally located and part of the charm. There is also an elevator
-Entry by electric keycard, and is required to enter the hotel at night and into the quarters all day.
I really appreciate that they water bottles are not disposable / plastic but are glass and refillable upon request at the Reception Desk. They also don't contribute to the millions of wasted toiletry bottles by having dispensers of shampoo, conditioners and soap. I've seen this practice in Taiwan and Japan. The world should adopt this!
If you've met me, I am horrible and awkward with human social interactions, so for me to ask for someone's name is a huge ordeal. Jennifer at the Reception Desk was the warmest and such a kind lady. Despite a loud group congregating around her to check-in, she kept it orderly yet friendly, and got the flock promptly checked in and out of the way. My room was still being cleaned at check-in time but she was warm and the view was spectacular, so I didn't mind at all. Jennifer also provided good advice about local happenings at the Presidio and every time I saw her that weekend, she always had a genuine smile.
Maybe I am officially Old but I loved the cozy ambiance of this place. Sure, the room is on the small side, but so are most rooms in the Financial District. I loved that there is zero chance here that I would run into a tech conference or the lobby overrun by a million pieces of luggage for me to trip over, or noisy protests/religious demonstrations outside, or homeless weirdos lurking nearby, or banker bros on busy streets, or the din from public transportation and tourists everywhere, or sirens going off all night (I'm talking about you, Marriott Marquis, Hyatt Regency, Omni, Westin St. Francis, etc.). There IS a fire station near the Lodge but I didn't hear any sirens during my whole stay.
I will definitely choose the Lodge again if I get another chance. I hope Jennifer would still be working there or get promoted!